A review by nikimorr
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

adventurous dark emotional inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

I was a little disappointed that I struggled to get into this book. It was so highly raved about, and I have recently begun an interest in WW2 historical fiction. However, I had a very hard time connecting with these characters until much later in the book. Even at some of the more emotional moments, I was not fully invested and did not feel the story the way I would want to in a book(and I am a very easy crier). I may have been comparing it too much to The Alice Network, which had me hooked start to finish. Otherwise, I’m not quite sure what was missing for me. 

I wanted to stick this book out because I appreciated the story and wanted to see it end. I preferred the story from Vianne’s point of view as a woman just trying to survive in the war - I found it most interesting and relatable. I liked exploring how Vianne as a a citizen of occupied France lived, not just how the heroes and heroines lived. The dynamic with Vianne and Herr Beck was particularly fascinating - the enemy (a nazi) not being a horrible person/maybe even worth liking is a gray area I love to explore. The last 150 pages were by far the best of the book, and it all came together very beautifully. I loved the ending for “Papa” and for Isabelle in particular. I always appreciate endings for characters that aren’t entirely perfect and happy but still feel right. 

I had a suspicion of who the “present day” character was - which proved to be correct - which I’m sure was an emotional plot twist for many readers. 
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